Aichi Living Guide: Best Cities & Attractions

Aichi Prefecture is located in the Chubu region in Honshu, and the prefectural capital is Nagoya. It is bordered by 4 prefectures: Shizuoka, Nagano, Gifu, and Mie, and on the south side, it faces the Pacific Ocean. In terms of population, it is the fourth prefecture in Japan following Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Osaka. Furthermore, it is an industrial prefecture with many thriving manufacturing industries as well as home to beautiful nature and historic buildings. Aichi Prefecture has a Pacific Ocean climate. Summers are hot and humid with lots of rainfall, while winters are dry with little rainfall.

In this guide, we will introduce Aichi Prefecture including some of the best cities to live, popular tourist spots to visit, and more. Whether you are considering moving to Aichi or just interested in exploring it as a tourist, it will provide you with various useful information.

Why People Love Aichi

Transportation Access

Aichi is conveniently located in the center of Japan, with easy access to both Tokyo and Osaka, as well as many other regions, making it an excellent base for exploring Japan.

Thriving Manufacturing Industries

Aichi Prefecture is an industrial prefecture, with industries such as automobiles, electrical machinery, and steel flourishing. As per 2021, Aichi has been the number one prefecture in Japan in terms of manufactured goods shipment value for 45 years in a row.

History and Beautiful Nature

The area that makes up Aichi Prefecture is known as the birthplace of 3 unifiers of Japan: Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It is home to well-known historical buildings such as Nagoya Castle. It is also rich in nature and there are numerous beautiful sights, including Korankei Gorge with its magnificent autumn foliage as well as cherry blossoms in Kisogawa Zutsumi (along the Kiso River's banks) and the Kiso River itself.

Best Cities to Live in Aichi

Below, we will list some of the best cities to live in Aichi Prefecture.

Nagoya - The Prefectural Capital and the Largest City in the Chubu Region

Nagoya is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and has a population of over 2.3 million, making it the largest city in the Chubu region. Being a major city located in the center of Japan, Nagoya offers great access to various destinations including Osaka and Tokyo. Nagoya is home to various manufacturing industries, delicious food, shopping spots, rich history, making it an exciting city to live and explore.

Key attractions: Nagoya Castle, Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium

Toyota - Home to the Word Famous Automobile Manufacturer

Toyota is the largest city in Aichi in terms of area covering 17.8 percent of the total land of the prefecture. This vast city is known as the home to the world famous car manufacturer "Toyota". The city used to be called "Koromo", but it was changed to "Toyota" in 1959, reflecting the importance of this automative manufacturer. With about 70 percent of the area covered by forests, the city is also a great place to enjoy nature. Toyota is also home to Korankei Gorge, which is a popular spot to enjoy autumn foliage.

Key attractions: Korankei Gorge, Toyota Municipal Museum of Art

Nisshin - A City Between Nagoya and Toyota

Nisshin is a city located between Nagoya and Toyota offering an easy transportation access to both of them. The city's Akaike Station is the only Nagoya Municipal Subway station located outside of the prefectural capital. Nisshin is a great place for raising children that offers a great mix of urban environment and nature. It is home to numerous schools and universities.

Key attractions: Aichi Farm, Iwasaki Castle, Nagoya City Tram and Subway Museum

Toyohashi - A City with a Good Balance of Urbanization and Nature

Toyohashi is a city bordering Shizuoka Prefecture. In addition to is mild climate and abundant nature, it also offers a convenience of city living as well as a great environment for raising children. Furthermore, there is a Shinkansen train station: Toyohashi Station. Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture can be reached in 12 minutes by Shinkansen or 35 minutes by JR Tokkaido Main Line. By using Shinkansen train, you can also easily reach Nagoya as well as Osaka, Tokyo and other cities.

Key attractions: Imo Wetlands, Non Hoi Park

Nagakute - A City with the Youngest Average Age of its Residents in Japan

With plenty of nature, commercial facilities, and great access to Nagoya, Nagakute is a convenient place for living. It is also known as the city with the youngest average age of its residents in Japan (as of 2020).

Key attractions: Toyota Automobile Museum, Ghibli Park

Access to Tokyo and Other Areas

Various destinations including Tokyo and Osaka can be easily reached from Aichi Prefecture.

Trains

In Aichi Prefecture, there are 3 Shinkansen stations: Nagoya, Toyohashi, and Mikawa-Anjo Stations. If you take Shinkansen train, it would take just a bit over an hour and a half to reach Tokyo from Nagoya. Furthermore, Osaka can be reached in under 50 minutes.

Airports

In Aichi Prefecture, there are Chubu Centrair International Airport and Nagoya Airport. Chubu Centrair International Airport is the most used airpot in Aichi and offers both domestic and international flights. Nagoya Airports offers fewer domestic flights and does not have international scheduled flights. Both airpots can be easily reached from Nagoya.

Highway Buses

Various destinations can be reached by highway buses. From Nagoya, it would take approximately 3 hours to reach Osaka and 5-6 hours to get to Tokyo on a highway bus.

Popular Tourist Spots in Aichi

Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle is a designated national historic site and is one of the most famous castles in Japan. It was built in 1615, but was largely destroyed during the war in 1945. Its main tower keep was rebuilt in 1959, but nowadays is closed due to the aging of facilities, etc. On the other hand, Hommaru Palace's restoration works were completed in 2018 and it is open to the public.
>> Nagoya Castle

Ghibli Park

Ghibli Park consists of 5 areas and is fantastic place to visit for everyone interested in the world of Studio Ghibli.
>> Ghibli Park

LEGOLAND Japan Resort

It is a popular theme park for families with children from 2 to 12 years old.
>> LEGOLAND Japan Resort

Inuyama Castle

One of 5 designated national treasure castles in Japan, Inuyama Castle was built in 1537.
>> Inuyama Castle, National Treasure

Korankei Gorge

Korankei Gorge is a very popular spot to enjoy autumn foliage in Aichi Prefecture.
>> Aichi Now OFFICAL SITE FOR TOURISM AICHI

Conclusion

With flourishing manufacturing industries, historical buildings, beautiful nature, and great transportation access, Aichi has a lot to offer. Whether you are looking for a place to relocate to or explore as a tourist, Aichi is definitely worth considering.